INSIDE THIS ISSUEfirstnrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Insight-Sept-Oct...that the service of the...

September - October 2020

Meditation • “One” Jesus as Advocate • Divine Contentment

Half • “Enoch Walked with God”Erosion of the Church at the Time of the Coronavirus?

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

General Information

Insight Into is the official youth periodical of the Netherlands Reformed Congregationsin the United States and Canada.As a Reformed magazine, Insight Into seeks to promote the knowledge of the truthand to give biblical guidance to young people in their daily lives.

Rev. P. Van Ruitenburg, PresidentRev. H. Hofman, Vice PresidentElder R. de Kok, Editorial Committee MemberElder J. Timmer, Administrator

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Meditationby Rev. P. Van Ruitenburg .........................................pg. 1

“One”by Rev. H. de Leeuw ................................................pg. 2

Jesus as Advocateby Rev. Henry Law ..................................................pg. 5

Divine Contentmentby Rev. Thomas Watson.............................................pg. 9

HalfAdapted from The Banner of Truth ....................... pg. 10

“Enoch Walked with God”Taken from the Friendly Companion .................... pg. 13

Erosion of the Church at the Time of the Coronavirus?by Rev. E. Hakvoort ................................................. pg. 14

Insight Into is also available in PDF format and can be sent to you by e-mail. Please text 1-604-793-3848 or e-mail [email protected] if you are interested in receiving this publication electronically.For questions, suggestions, or ideas for future topics, text 1-604-316-0566.

With quotations fromRev. W. Huntington, Rev. J. C. Ryle, Rev. Jonathan Edwards, Rev. A. W. Pink,Rev. William Law, Rev. C. H. Spurgeon,and Matthew Henry

1INSIGHT INTOSeptember / October 2020

High EsteemRev. P. Van Ruitenburg

Sometimes we are dumbfounded. We did not expect this; it seems too overwhelming to be true. We are perplexed but also astonished. However, our whole life should be a silent wonder. There is every reason for it. Not only does the realm of nature surprise us, but what God does in the kingdom of grace even more. It is beyond our comprehension, we cannot fathom this, and (if it is well) it makes us stammer: How great Thou art! Has Thou thought this out? Did Thine hand make this, the meticulously small cells that live and contain many smaller organs, with even smaller on and off buttons? Or look at the starry sky. Amazement with high esteem, with stammering thanks? That is not only possible, but the Lord wants us to express that wonder to Him as well. God deserves to be praised, even though He does not need our praise. However, also consider God’s grace. Who could have thought that God could forgive sinners like us? Who could have imagined that God would give His Son as a ransom for many? There is an abundance of things that should lead us to praise God. Our mouth should overflow with God’s honour. We should constantly be so impressed that we can’t stop praising God. It should stamp our lives and characterize our behaviour. Everyone should be able to tell what and whom we live for. God’s Name should never be profaned by us, and that is why the Lord wants us to always live carefully without wasting our time. Throughout our lives we should show by our conduct who we want to live for and how good His service is. Do people (sometimes) notice that the service of the Lord is a service of love? “Not unto us, O LORD not unto us, but unto Thy Name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth’s sake” (Psalm 115:1). “The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:8-9). “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17). “Let my mouth be filled with Thy praise and with Thy honour all the day” (Psalm 71:8).

INSIGHT INTO2 September / October 2020

In these words, Paul exhorts the Philippians to unity. This unity is expressed in the word “one.” The word has much meaning. One is

used often to signify its contrast over against many. Being one means being together as one. Christ is the Head of the body, but they are one. Jesus Christ has one church which is spread through the whole earth and over periods of time. Many members make up the body, but they are one. That means that there is one thing that unites them. The Philippians were heathens. Paul came there in a remarkable way. The call of the Macedonian man directed him. When then they came to the large city of Philippi, what a great disunity they found. There was no room for the gospel, and no church waiting for their arrival. But by the river side, there were a few women, and most importantly, God’s favour. (Do you see it does not have to be a large number?) There by the river side the Holy Spirit opens the heart of Lydia, and there something is planted which makes one. The work of the Spirit unites. Those souls receive fellowship in the gospel. When faith may be given to embrace that gospel message through Jesus Christ to make sinners one with God, beloved, then there are no words to write what unity and fellowship are felt and experienced. Where the Lord regenerates, and plants faith, He also exercises that faith (justification and sanctification). Those exercises of faith are given in the midst of strife. In that strife they must learn to wage war against a triple-headed enemy. That enemy has all kinds of methods to create disunity, also in young people in 2020. How the angel of light is busy to create false peace, a false gospel, a false faith, a false Jesus, and a false worshipping, all mainly based on our feelings. How Satan is busy to entice the flesh with working to allure the fleshly lusts with video games, social media, the “Pinterest, Snapchat, and Instagram culture,” bodily exercise, entertainment, movies, television series, the sports world, etc. How we ourselves can be so convinced with our own opinions and ideas that we create our own so-called scriptural doctrine. Paul realized in the time of his writing to the Philippian that there are so many attacks against that being one. This is still relevant

Rev. H. de Leeuw

“One”“Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love,

being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:2).


in our time. Therefore, the clear exhortation: “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” It is an exhortation to continue, not to leave off or to become slack in the warfare. Do you have that warfare, my young friend? Do you know what it is to fight in that warfare? What are they encountered with? Their weakness! Therefore, stay one. Be of one accord, and be of one mind, in fellowship of the gospel, with Christ Jesus before you. “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Do not fall to the idle temptations of Satan, the world, and your own flesh, because you will come to stand alone. But be one! The one thing that unites those souls in that warfare is the pure preaching of the gospel. That brings them in one accord, in God’s house. (Do you or did you miss it?) All of them are attacked differently, but they have the same source of strength. How is that strength given? By faith. Oh, that precious gospel when the Holy Ghost is pleased to work faith by it. Through all the ages, that has been the source of strength in that warfare, and that faith given by God through the gospel binds poor beggars to the throne of grace, but also to each other. That unity is a blessed unity. That is a unity of Acts 4:32, “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.” That unity is a following in the steps of the Master. He becomes precious in that gospel, and in Him the Head, they have unity. Therefore, those poor and needy ones are crowned with humility. With humility you can serve one another; in humility you can esteem another better than yourselves. When I am nothing, all those other members are better than me. Being one is learned in the dust. In the dust, that low place before God, there the Church is found that resembles where their head Christ Jesus found them, as unworthy, hell-worthy sinners. Humility is what the Master practised to be one with His Church; “that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” As fallen human beings, we do not really know in a spiritual sense what a true blessing is. We can be very happy in life, not experiencing many problems, living very comfortably, and as a result we may become very shallow and artificial. And when we die, after living such a “good” life, we may then receive the curse that we never felt was on us, but in actuality was. On the other hand, we may encounter much misery in our lives and benefit spiritually from it. Let me explain. I do not mean to state the obvious here, that difficulties often


“Happy is that soul that credits God’s promise; places his confidence in Him for the fulfilment of it; makes use of the means God has appointed; daily pleads His promise in the humble prayer of faith; patiently waits his time; daily watched his hand; lives in a holy expectation of a daily supply of spiritual and temporal mercies from the God of his salvation; and who is humbly thankful to God for every favour that flows through the atoning blood and prevalent intercession of a dear Redeemer.”

~ Rev. W. Huntington (1745-1813)

make people more mature and that problems can turn out to be a great advantage. We all know that some very fine people are formed by a life full of difficulties. I also do not wish to focus on those who become very religious by their suffering. Twhat is also understandable. People need a god to help them and desire comfort from somewhere. Some may then create their own god and soothe themselves with a religion they can benefit from. We all realize that this does not help in the long term either. I read in the Word of God that afflictions can do much better things for us. If blessed by God, suffering can really benefit us by bringing us to our knees and letting us feel our sins. That is a good result! It may make us feel unworthy of God’s blessings and cause us to realize that we need more than God’s help. We need forgiveness for our sins. Afflictions can rid us of the shallow Christianity that does not give salvation and does not bring about a true conversion. We may first rebel and rise up against God when we are in trouble, but then we begin to see more and more of who God is and who we have been. If that is the case, we will weep more about sin itself than about its consequences. Then we have more hunger for God and forgiveness than we have for help and comfort. King David was blessed with such beneficial afflictions. He was already a child of God, but he learned more about God and himself through the trials God sent him. Afflictions can also be a blessing in another way. Here I mean the afflictions that came upon the Lord Jesus. People thought He was cursed and deserted by God, and actually He was. But He went through this to save people from the real curse. Dear reader, you need the true faith in this Saviour to be delivered from the curse that is upon you because of your sins. Whether you are troubled by afflictions or not, seek your salvation in an afflicted Lord who suffered and died in order to save death-worthy ones.


The similarities of Jesus as an Advocate in a court are very abundant. The court also teaches of the work of the Lord Jesus. Not only is He

the supreme Sovereign, wielding the sceptre of unbounded sway; not only is He the Judge, to whom all judgment is committed; not only is He the Counsellor and Intercessor; He is exhibited, moreover, as the Advocate. Thus faith is aided constantly to testify, “Christ is All” (Colossians 3:11). On Him as our Advocate let adoration now be riveted. Let a legal court be imagined. The judgment is set. The Judge in solemn pomp is seated. A criminal trembles at the bar. An accuser states the cause. An Advocate, educated in the rules of law, offers defense. Such is a general view. Our thoughts now travel to the final judgment seat, and let a sinner be regarded as the criminal at the bar. Many are the charges pressed against him. Grievous are its contents. All belong to one class--sinners. For as the law demands pure love at every moment, and in every movement of the mind, it is unquestionable that every moment is overloaded with accusation. Let it be supposed that the offender is thus arraigned. Are witnesses needed to support the charges? They attend in ready crowds. The accomplices in crime, the casual beholders, the persons who have shared the guilt, give evidence. But the main proofs proceed from conscience, that inward witness whose ever watchful eye has marked and registered the course of life. Confession stammers from each lip: These deeds are mine; thus have I acted; these sins belong to me; no charge is exaggerated. In all these points I am a violator of the law of God.

Jesus“If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).

Rev. Henry Law (1797-1884)


Satan as the accuser Scripture tells us that an accuser calls for condemnation. Satan is truly branded as “the accuser of our brethren” (Revelation 12:10). When his final doom is announced, he is depicted as he “which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10.) No sacred place excluded his vile approach, no holiness daunted him. He assailed innocence in Eden’s garden. He solicited the Son of God in the wild horrors of the wilderness. He extended his foul touch to convey Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple. So now he uses his last effort to effect destruction. Such is his hate, such is his malignant wish to have our race as his victims; such is his unceasing desire to bear them captives to his cell, that he is represented as appearing in court to prevent acquittal, to offer proof that the accused are his, to show that God’s truth condemns them, that His righteousness excludes them from the kingdom into which righteousness alone can enter. Oh! that the eyes of men were open to the malignity of this foul fiend! Oh! that they would discern his crafty arts and foul attempts! Could they then lend their ears so readily to his insinuations; could they so eagerly snatch his baited hooks; could they serve him whose life is to make them wretched, and to fill hell with weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth! With conscience so condemning, with an accuser so bitter, so fierce, so cognizant of facts, can the prisoners cherish one ray of hope? Must not despair unnerve the heart, and downcast looks await the merited decree?

Hope in Jesus Christ But there is hope--fresh, lively, bright. An Advocate appears able and willing to befriend a culprit so deep in guilt. But can any undertake a case so desperate? Yes. The Advocate is “Jesus Christ the righteous.” The Father views Him with delight. He sees His Son--His only-begotten, His well-beloved Son--whom He hears always. The culprit anxiously turns to view this Advocate. It is his Jesus, who loved him with an everlasting love, who gave Himself for him, who endured all shame, all misery, all suffering on his behalf, who left nothing undone to effect redemption. Surely now He will use all efforts in his behalf? Would not a father plead warmly for a beloved son, a mother for the child of her womb, a brother for the fellow-offspring of his home, a friend for the companion whom he loves as the close inmate of his heart, the ardent bridegroom for the partner of his bosom? The believer realizes that Jesus sustains all these relationships. He feels, then, that this Advocate will


plead with all energy and zeal and power to save him; that each argument will be urged with constraining might and all reasoning strive to obtain deliverance. The question next occurs: Wherefore is this Advocate now present? It is not a slight motive which impels Him. Every feeling, which brought Him down from heaven and placed Him a willing victim on the altar of the cross, now burns with undiminished fervour. He is urged by zeal for His Father’s glory. His Father’s honour would be tarnished if one perished who had been entrusted to His care. God’s glory is involved in their salvation. For this, then, the Advocate must plead; and if He fails, heaven cannot sound the Father’s everlasting praise.

Love for His people Love, too, for His people warms His tongue. He comes flying on the wings of love, striding in the strength of love, riding in the chariot of love. He feels that they for whom Satan is now striving are the children begotten by His grace, the travail of His soul, the purchase of His blood, the offspring of His agony and death; His sister, His spouse, His beloved, around whom His heart has been entwined before time was, the portion of His Father’s gift and of His loving choice; His jewels, His crown, the signet on His right hand, the sheep of His pasture, His wealth, His treasure, His delight, the members of His mystic body, the very apple of His eye. Thus Jesus loves them, and in love appears as their Advocate. This the Advocate well knows. All His pleadings uphold the known decrees. He calls for a favourable sentence, on the broad ground that the law requires acquittal, and renders condemnation alike, illegal and unjust. He demands the statute book. He turns to the articles of the Covenant of Grace. The principle of substitution is there allowed. It is enacted that a substitute, in every way qualified, may occupy the sinner’s place, pay all his debts, endure all his penalties, make full expiation, and render vicarious obedience, and thus avert all punishment. The Advocate maintains that He has worked and suffered as the substitute; that He was qualified, because He had assumed man’s nature; that infinity belonged to His every act of merit and of suffering, because He never could be less than very and eternal God. The sinner boldly awaits the issue. The accuser states the multiplied offences, and establishes that death is due for each. The Advocate presents no contradiction of offence, but forcibly rejoins. The death denounced has been endured; in My person the sinner died on Calvary’s cross; he was crucified in Me. Who is he that now condemneth! Christ’s death is a full reply to all demands for the transgressor’s death.


“God is the highest good of the reasonable creature. The enjoyment of Him is our proper; and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Better than fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of any, or all earthly friends. These are but shadows; but the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams; but God is the sun. These are but streams; but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean.” ~ Rev. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

If the accuser presses that the Law has uttered its inexorable curse against every violation of perfect, pure, unsullied love, the Advocate replies: The total curse has been endured. On Me in fullest measure it has been outpoured. It is written, “Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13). On the accursed tree I was suspended, and on Me the whole vengeance fell. If the importunate accuser reiterates that justice must have its dues, the Advocate replies: Where is the debt which is not fully paid! What satisfaction is not adequately made. Thus every charge is met. Justice acknowledges that no more is due. Truth testifies that it is amply honoured. Justice would cease to be just if punishment could be twice inflicted, and the sinner who suffered in the person of his substitute could be required himself to suffer. The court is just, and pronounces acquittal on all for whom Christ died. It is forever true, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Thus the Advocate prevails. Believer, bless Him, praise Him, extol Him, adore Him, more and more, now and forever. He gains your cause. In Him you are eternally acquitted from wrath. He is salvation to the utmost. Study Him, love Him, adore Him more and more. Clasp to your heart of hearts the truth, Christ is my Advocate; He is my All.

~ Taken from Rev. Henry Law’s book, “Christ is All”: The Gospel of the Pentateuch, with editing by the Insight Into editors

“Thankfulness is a flower which will never bloom well except upon a root of deep humility.” ~ Rev. J. C. Ryle (1816-1900)


Rev. Thomas Watson (1620-1686)

Contentment is a shield against temptation, for he who is content knows as well how to want as how to abound. He will not sin to get a living. Though the bill of fare grows short, he is content. He lives as the birds of the air, upon God’s providence, and doubts not but that he shall have enough to pay for his passage to heaven. Discontent tempts a man to atheism and apostasy. “Surely there is no God to take care of things here below. Would He suffer them to be in want who have walked mournfully before Him?” says discontent. “Throw off Christ’s livery; desist from your religion.” Thus Job’s wife, being discontented with her condition, said to her husband, “Dost thou still retain thy integrity?” (Job 2:9). It is as if she had said, “Do you not see, Job, what has become of all your religion? You fear God and eschew evil; and how are you the better for it? See how God turns His hand against you. He has smitten you in your body, estate, and relations; and do you still retain your integrity? What, still devout? Still weep and pray before Him? You fool, cast off religion and turn atheist!” Here was a sore temptation the devil handed over to Job by his discontented wife. Only his grace, as a golden shield, warded off the blow from his heart. “Thou speakest as one of the foolish women” (Job 2:10). The discontented person says, “What profit is it to serve the Almighty? Those who never trouble themselves about religion are the prosperous men, and I, in the meantime, suffer want. I might as well give over driving the trade of religion if this is all my reward.” This is a sore temptation, and it often prevails. Atheism is the fruit that grows out of the blossom of discontent. Oh, then, behold the excellency of contentment! It repels this temptation. “If God is mine,” says the contented spirit, “it is enough. Though I have no lands or tenements, His smile makes it heaven. His love is better than wine. Better are the grapes of Ephraim than the vintage of Abiezer (Judges 8:2). I have little in hand, but much in hope. My livelihood is short, but this is His promise: eternal life. I am pursued by malice, but better is persecuted godliness than prosperous wickedness.” Thus divine contentment is a spiritual antidote against both sin and temptation.

~Taken from his book The Art of Divine Contentment

Divine Contentment


I want to write about the halves of things, and I will try to tell you when it is good and when it is bad to divide something in half. Also when to do

or say half of anything is right, and when it is wrong. I don’t mean things we only use but duties and things we have to do. For instance, half an orange or half an apple is very nice when given to a companion, and in that way we give pleasure to two instead of one. But if we give half a shoe or half a glove, it is of no use even for one person; so some things are better and some are worse for being halved. And it is also very nice to go halves or share in anything, such as the cleaning of a room or the care of a garden, or some other work. Yet should your half be done first? I hope you don’t just go off without offering to help your companion who may be slower or not as well practised as yourself. It is also right to stop halfway when you are not sure that what you are going to do is quite right. It is good to stop halfway and turn back if you have forgotten your prayers or any regular duty. It is well to stop halfway in any unkind or hasty speech or act. Of course, it is best not to begin to give way to angry words or deeds at all, but it is much better to stop halfway if you should begin. Then if anyone has offended you, or hurt you, or ruined your books or toys, and is sorry for it, be sure you meet him halfway in his repentance and thus show that you are willing to forgive. You must be ready to share and take part in other’s troubles or distress, and this you will do best by thinking how you would feel if it had happened to you, and then try to feel nearly as much for another. And I will tell you what this sharing or halving is called in God’s holy Word. It is called “bearing one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2), and those who do so from a right spirit are said to “fulfill the law of Christ” (Matthew 5:17). When it is wrong to shareBut, as I mentioned before, there are many cases in which it would be

HALF(Adapted from The Banner of Truth, December 1980)


wrong to share or half anything, and I shall now give some examples. First, it is wrong to give half of anything we owe to God, such as half our hearts, when we are worshipping Him in church or praying to Him at home. I mean that it is wrong to think half of God and half of other things. We must not give half the reverence and attention, or half the time we should, to bestow on God and our duties to Him. Next, it is very bad to tell half the truth when we should tell it all. It is as bad as a complete falsehood, for it has the same effect of deceiving the hearer. I once knew a small boy who had this habit. He would say he “thought so,” when he knew it and was quite sure. He would say “maybe,” instead of “yes, I did”; or “I don’t remember” when he did remember. One day this boy and his brother were going to the sea shore to gather pretty shells to decorate the pond in the garden. They did so, and our young friend brought back a fine basket full, thinking what a happy time he would have washing and sorting them. His aunt, however, for some good reason, decided that this would have to wait until the next day. In a little while the boys asked to go upstairs. “Oh yes,” said the aunt, “but what for?” “Oh, only to get a book and clean our room.” But from something the other brother said, their aunt suspected that the reason given was not true. She soon found out that the chief reason was to clean the shells, and as this was not the first time she had to speak about his practice of keeping back half the truth, she was obliged to punish her nephew severely. Do you know how? She made him throw all his pretty shells back into the sea, which hopefully made him determined to tell the whole truth in the future. Another thing is that it will not do to stop halfway and think when we have determined to beg pardon for what we have done wrong. We must not acknowledge half our fault, but the whole of it. When we have arranged to do some good or kind action, we must not stop halfway because we find it more difficult or troublesome than we at first thought. We must never think that a promise is fulfilled when we do half of it. We must not take half the credit for something when we have done only a small share. Of course, you must give full credit to those who help you in anything, and not talk as if you had done it all yourself. Never be satisfied with a lesson half learned, or a task half done. Never leave your books or work half finished. Never wish for the whole or even half of anything that does not belong to you, and never look as if you wished your friend or companion to share what he has with you. There are many other ways in which it is wrong to divide our duties, or put half for the whole, but I hope you will now see more clearly when giving half of a thing is good and when it is wrong.


“Yes, give thanks for “all things” for, as it has been well said, “Our disappointments are but His appointments.” ~ Rev. A. W. Pink (1886-1952)

“To be always in a thankful state of heart before God is not to be considered a high plane of spirituality but rather the normal attitude of one who believes that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). ~ Rev. William Law (1686-1761)

Giving God all I will finish with the story of a man and his wife who told half the truth and in doing so told a lie. In the time of the apostles, it was common for the new Christians to devote or give up property to God’s service. Having done so, it would be as wrong to want it back again as it would be for you to wish that you had back again what you put into the church collection plate last Sunday. After this couple had given a piece of land to the Lord, it was sold and the price given to the apostles. But in fact it was only part of the price that they handed over, for they had changed their minds and decided to keep part of it. A terrible judgment came on them both for attempting to deceive the church and for lying to God. (You can read about these people in Acts 5). Let us take care not to do half of anything when we should do all. Above all, when the Lord says to you, “My son, give Me thine heart” (Proverbs 23:26), ask Him for grace to enable you to give Him not a half or any small part, but all. Less will not do if you are to be saved from sin and to take delight in doing God’s will.

“Although we may not always be healthy, nor always prosperous, yet God is always good, and, therefore, there is always a sufficient argument for giving thanks unto Jehovah. That He is a good God essentially, that He cannot be otherwise than good, should be a fountain out of which the richest praises should perpetually flow.” ~ Rev. C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)


In Genesis 5, we read of a great change that a baby boy made in the life of his father. The father was Enoch and the baby son was Methuselah.

Until his young son was born, it seems that Enoch lived as if there was no God in his life. But we are told that after Methuselah was born that “Enoch walked with God” (Genesis 5:24). What was there about Methuselah’s birth which brought such a change in Enoch’s life? It seems that God showed to Enoch that there would be a flood, the one which we connect with Noah. The name “Methuselah” means “when he dies, it shall come.” For 969 years, Methuselah lived, and in that year the flood came, just as God had said it would. Although it was such a long while after Enoch’s birth, yet God did not fail to do as He had said. Almost everyone else in the world at the time either did not believe God could flood the earth, or that he had forgotten to do as He had said. Enoch believed what God had told him about the coming judgment, and from then on he lived a God-fearing life until God took him to heaven without dying. Now God has told us in His Word that one day, not a flood, but fire will consume the earth. How many of us are living like Enoch or Noah, preparing for these solemn tidings? If we have the same faith that Enoch was blessed with, then we will seek God’s help to walk with Him as Enoch did. “And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28).

~ Taken from the Friendly Companion

“EnochWalked

with God”


Much has been written already about the COVID-19 pandemic. We clearly see in these things the hand of the Lord. The judgments of the

Lord are hanging so low over the earth, and that is certainly true. At the same time, is there not the danger that the devil is using the pandemic to let people drift away from the church? He will not rest until many have left the church. What must we then say to those things? It is another proof that “judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). In May, the Dutch Reformed newspaper (RD) did a survey among their readers about the church in this time of the coronavirus. More than 8,300 people and 350 consistories participated in this survey. A shocking 40% of them indicated that already after only two months of not being able to attend church, they felt less connected to their own congregation. About 25% of the respondents even had no issue with “church shopping” and indicated they listen regularly to church services other than their own.

A time of special danger Disconnecting from the local church has become possible and easier, since many churches have utilized the Internet and provided the opportunity for their members to hear the services through live streaming. Who would have believed this was possible half a year ago when there was no COVID-19 pandemic yet? We would have stayed far away from evangelizing through the Internet. But now we have to use the Internet in order for people to hear the church services. At the same time, Satan could conveniently use this pandemic to disconnect people from their congregation and denomination, and in some cases even from the church. Church shopping is now made easier and these radical changes only began a few months ago. We wonder how that is now, a few months later. The churches have opened again and at each service, a portion of the congregation may come to church. But how long will it be until the entire congregation can come back to church on a Sunday? Will it then turn out that the coronavirus crisis contributed in the life of many to an erosion of church life? Must we fear that many who still went to church, but felt inwardly disconnected already, have used this opportunity to conveniently leave the church or leave the truth?

Rev. E. Hakvoort

Erosion of the Church in the Time of the Coronavirus?


That is a real danger! I recently read that in an article about the “great church escape of COVID-19.” The research showed that one in three practising Christians is no longer attending church due to COVID-19. The author wrote: “We seem to have missed the real death toll of COVID-19 in the church; we were blindsided. The virus has given some people the opportunity to finally escape from the church.” This article was not about legitimate COVID-19 issues which kept some people away, but it concludes that “as worship has resumed, they are simply gone–nowhere to be found.”

Following for just a time? You might wonder how we must see these things. Can we simply say that Satan is using the coronavirus pandemic to let many drift away from church? Can we conveniently hide behind the temptations of the devil and blame him for it? We know this is not the case. There is more to it. There is nothing new under the sun. Already in the days of the Lord Jesus, many only followed Him for a certain time, because He spoke with authority and not like the Scribes, and they came only to see His miracles. They were not committed to the truth in doctrine and life. It was not a matter of the heart. But as soon as Jesus challenged their motives and revealed Himself as the Son of the Father and the Bread of life, and spoke about the one thing needful in their life, many were offended and said, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” (John 6:60). They went back and walked no more with Him. So, we clearly see that it is not that simple to just blame the devil for those who leave the church. We are responsible ourselves for what we do with the truth that we hear from Sunday to Sunday. Diligently using the means in His house Some might use all kinds of arguments for church shopping or not coming to church. The one does not like the reading services, others do not like their minister, and a third one is of the opinion their church is sick. But tell me, if your mother is sick, would you then leave her? Or would you care for her with love? Augustine said that the church is our mother. May we then leave her conveniently if she would really be sick? Can there be a blessing upon that? What do we think about the oath we gave when we did confession of faith? And which example do we then give unto our children when we sacrifice the truth for more eloquent preachers? Let us be aware that our children always remember the example which we have set and often go further in that path. Then the question comes to us: How did we go to church in the past? How did we listen in church? Did we come out of custom or superstition, or because we had to from our parents? Did we come because otherwise, the consistory might show up asking where we were? Yes, you were still present with the body and that is good. The Lord wants us to be in His house, for that is the place where He wants to work by His Word and Spirit. But were we

Erosion of the Church in the Time of the Coronavirus?


also present with our heart? Was there a real desire and prayer that the Lord might speak to us and convert us unto Him? Or was there very little interest in the truth of God’s Word, and was there much indifference resulting in a life contrary to God’s commandments? Must the Lord then complain about us, “This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8)? Oh, I pray that these serious callings and judgments may bring us to repentance and would not make us less and less connected to the church. Because if that is the case, COVID-19 could become a convenient way to leave the church.

Repentance required Maybe you ask: But the Lord stands above all things, doesn’t He? What about His providence? Do we not ask in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10), that the Lord would increase His Church, and destroy the works of the devil and all violence which would exalt itself against Him? The Lord will certainly increase His Church until the full perfection of His kingdom may take place. New ones will still be added to the congregation that shall be saved. The Lord still converts young and old by His Spirit. The Church (with a capital letter, God’s people) will not decrease but increase! Oh, our heart must break if we notice that others who only belonged to the church use the COVID-19 pandemic to leave the church conveniently and quietly. It is my sincere hope and prayer that this would not be the case among us! How do we then have to see these things? That judgments begin at the house of God! It is not enough to say that the judgments of the Lord are over the world. They are also over the churches, over their lukewarmness and worldliness. Repentance is required. The question arises if it could be the case that the COVID-19 pandemic is for the churches a judgment in God’s judgments. That the Lord, who not only punishes the world for forsaking Him but at the same time punishes the churches for their lukewarmness and thus separates the chaff from the wheat. “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17). Great privileges That we would realize what was entrusted unto us in the past, namely, the great privilege we had by being able to come under God’s precious Word and testimony from Sabbath Day to Sabbath Day. May it then be our prayer that the Lord will bless these serious times and give a revival in the churches. That our ears may be pricked, and the Lord would bind upon the heart what He said to the congregation of the Laodiceans; “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou


“In order to the attaining of all useful knowledge this is most necessary, that we fear God; we are not qualified to profit by the instructions that are given us unless our minds be possessed with a holy reverence of God, and every thought within us be brought into obedience to Him … As all our knowledge must take rise from the fear of God, so it must tend to it as its perfection and centre. Those know enough who know how to fear God, who are careful in every thing to please Him and fearful of offending Him in any thing; this is the Alpha and Omega of knowledge.” ~ Matthew Henry (1662-1714)

mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see” (Revelation 3:18). That is still possible for the chief of the sinners. The Lord is able and willing to kindle the fire of His Spirit in the hearts. It would be such a blessing if this pandemic is used to that end. That young and old would realize that only one thing is needful. That we may storm the throne of grace beseeching the Lord for mercy. That we may experience with Asaph in Psalm 80:14-15, “Return, we beseech Thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; And the vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that Thou madest strong for Thyself.”

Longing to be in God’s house The same survey done in the Netherlands also showed that 10% of the respondents felt not less but more connected to their congregation. They saw the dangers and felt grief about not being able to go to God’s house. Among them are also young people and young families. We have heard it ourselves from a number of them how there was a longing to be able to come back to God’s house. Sitting at home and listening to the services was not “just the same” for them as going to God’s house. In their heart there was gladness when they said, “Let us go into the house of the LORD. Our feet shall stand within Thy gates, O Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:1-2)! It is my heartfelt wish and prayer that the Lord would be pleased to sanctify these serious callings to our heart and increase His Church, yea, that many of our young and old friends would personally be added to the congregation that shall be saved. Young and old, is that your desire? Are we prepared for that never-ending eternity? Only then is there nothing to fear, for then the fear of the Lord may dwell in our hearts, which makes us wise unto salvation. That God’s Name is not dishonoured for our sake but is honoured for His Name’s sake. Then the Lord can even use the faithful listening to our own church services in our homes to give a blessing, because He is not bound to time or place. Thus even this pandemic can be a rich blessing!

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